The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-08-11

face, and bad rctouched the lines OF care
il aud by some deft manipulation had ais
a rejavenatei the face TIL saw II docad
u younger before me. He spoke TO me now
> having finished the reading OF the lette
b for the third time, but kept my face h
the window till | could regain my com
" posurc What would strange man thinl
OF me. with my lip trembling and the ho
4 blood running riot over my cheek aud
D and brow2
"It's q pretty handwriting. he said
i with grateful smile. Better than mine;
hiding bis manned arm in the great pock'
, ct Of the grizzly coat But I'd like it II
you'd just put q little post. what do you
| call ii?" be added. coloriDg.
Postscript" ] suggested Certainly. "
Tell mother" he said, as took mp my
, pen again, "that l wish she'd remember
/ me mo, give-love to-to-my little girl,
II she lives up there yet. and II she isn't
4 married"
He seemed 10 force the words out and
turned away his flushed face from me.
My heart beat violently, and my hand
trembled so that could scarcely trace the
words he had dictated. Could it be my
old lover, who had buried the old love o.
which my suffering heart was the object
| wrote the fatal words. Icould scarcely
see the paper before me. / moved the
pen mechanically. as | would strike the
soulless keys Of the odlous type writer. l
doubt il saw the letters that formed at
all. My head was in busy whirl,
He took the letter again and poured
over the postscript thought he never
would have done with it, he was so long.
II can just make it out" be said finally.
Does not look like the other part OF the
letter bit. 1t is not much better than
my left hand scrswl Obi beg pardon.
miss, he said hastily, as be looked full
into my panied eyes. Il pose you're
tired. Been working all day, probably.
I'm brute to add to your troubles and
tire you more 1t will do very we'll,
guesss.
] had closed my eyes to try to shut out
the pain. | had seen, growing daily,
great, ugly black aings under my eyes.
Any one could see them. This stranger
saw them. But the pain at my heart nov
excelled in intensity that OF the aching
eyes.
"Now, miss" he continued in the gen
tlest tones, "if you'll please direct it for
me, I'll be SO much obliged"
l had not turned from the window nor
Enclosed my eyes. and with all sights shut
out from my senses, my hearing seemed
painfully acute. That voice carried me
back to scenes 10 which had heard just
such tones low, gentle and tender. 1t
was-Im sure it was the twin of that
voice that once, in the long ago, wakened
in my heart its very first and best love.
heard his last request. but it had SO min
gled with The tar away voice was listen
ing to in my dreamy retrospection that !
paid no heed to it. slight movement
on his part aroused me, and saw him
looking mpassionately at me, and in
respectful way he held out the letter.
folded it and enclosed il in an envelope,
and took up my pen once more.
"Ploase direct it 10 Mrs. Jane Stanley,
Dayton, New Hampshire" be said.
The hand that held that pen rose sud-
denly in the air, like the arm Of one first
stricken with the palsy, and the other fol-
lowed 1t uncoutrollably. One gasp for
breath-s choking seDsation and fell
backward, but not far; strong arm held
me up. A convenient glass Of water re
vived me sufficiently to hear the words:
Poor child, she's worn outl'
"Are you John Stauley?" l whispered,
as he raised me to a sitting posture.
"Wby, OF course. am John Stanley" !
he answered, regarding me with surprise
My face, which moment ago had felt
cold and bloodless, was now burning as
with fever, and yet / shook as with the
violence Of an ague, as / said in almost
tones: IL am Annie Sinclair"
something between a groan and
miners shout of Joy at the discovery of
rich lead reached my ear. as ! was unctr
enormously gathered tightly into the shag :,
BY. grizzly bear skin coat of this terrible
stranger. What il 1t were mistake after
all? There might be other John Stanleys.
Oh, yes. and there might be other Annie :,
who worked ten hours day on
type writer's. Aud IL might not be my
self, and John might not
my own little girl To think I've got
you TO write TO mother and inquire about y
your own selfi' c
think he must have forgotten all about d
now tired aud wornout | was from the a
ierce way in which be embraced me again d
lnd sgain, only pausing long enough to o
ook lovingly into my aching eyes. l 4
,ould easily imagine was being hugged s
BY Rocky mountain bear as lay help .
ess 10 the fur coat aud felt the arm close e
lightly about me. Bat made feeblg h
struggle at last TO eItricate myself. What 0
light had John Stanley TO kiss me in this d
rec aud passionste manner He had not /,
yet asked me to forgive him for the past. G
Iohn had been q miner, aud suppose be o
hought as he had once staked out his a
,lsjn on me, that that settled il forever
Dbl these men are so cool aud presumpt q
ious He only laughed at my weak efforts o
o free my yself from his embrace aud kissed b
ne again. John was the first 10 discover .,
he presence Of the third party IN the
Dom. aud following bis gsze. saw with 4
4larm that Mr.. Brunsley. my employer, Il